Present Day — City of Arloah
"Gemini saved the Holy Empire from the rebellious criminals…"
Jean's voice carried quiet excitement as he leaned over the newspaper stand, eyes scanning every line carefully.
"So that's Gemini…" he whispered, impressed. "Amazing…"
For a moment, he didn't even blink.
Then—
SNAP.
The newspaper was ripped from his hands and crushed in one motion.
Jean froze.
"Huh?"
Gabriel stood beside him, already crumpling the paper into a tight ball. He didn't look angry—just tired.
"How many times do I have to tell you," Gabriel said quietly, "not to believe everything you read or hear?"
Jean frowned. "But it literally said he saved the Holy Empire…"
Gabriel paused for a moment, eyes lingering on the name Gemini.
"…Yeah," he muttered. "That's what they want you to think."
He tossed the crushed paper aside.
"News like that isn't truth. It's control."
Jean stared at him, confused, but something about Gabriel's tone made him uneasy.
After a short silence, Gabriel sighed.
"You know what, kiddo? I'm going to explain everything you need to know now."
He turned away.
"Come on."
Edge of the Forest
The carriage moved for hours before stopping near the edge of a vast forest.
Silence greeted them.
No roads. No people. Only trees stretching endlessly into the distance.
Jean stepped down slowly.
Something about this place felt heavy.
One Hour Later
They stood deep inside the forest.
Gabriel sat cross-legged on the ground, eyes closed.
Meditating.
Jean stared at him.
"…Seriously?"
A long silence.
Then—
"Ken," Gabriel said plainly.
Jean blinked.
Ken.
He had heard that word before. His sister had used it.
He tilted his head slightly, pretending curiosity.
"Ken?" he repeated softly.
Gabriel inhaled deeply… then exhaled.
"Yes… Ken. Everyone has Ken. Ken is everywhere."
He opened his eyes.
"And Ken is the basic fundamental of life and energy. The Academy calls it mana… but traditionally, it's Ken."
A pause.
"Feel free to ask, Jean. I'm not a good teacher myself."
He leaned back slightly.
"So ask me what you want to know."
Jean thought for a moment.
Then something clicked.
"Where did this Ken come from?" he asked.
Gabriel's eyes snapped open.
For a moment, something sharp flickered in his gaze.
"It… came from our father," he said slowly.
Jean tilted his head.
"Father?"
"Yes."
The forest felt quieter.
Jean repeated it softly.
"Adam…"
Gabriel nodded once.
"Adam."
A pause lingered between them.
"The founder of Ken," Gabriel continued. "The first man to wield life energy… or what people now call—"
He stopped.
"…Ken."
Jean blinked.
He didn't fully understand it yet.
But the way Gabriel said it made it feel less like an explanation…
And more like the beginning of something far older than history.
To be continued…